Color coded game card



Dec. 14, 1965 P. HERSHKOWITZ COLOR CODED GAME CARD Filed April 15, 1963 X X X X 53m 23m 53m Him mmwnoq 23G; 25% SE mim m N mm @m Sm mfim 39d; EEG w NEE I 5 29 5 zHEw Sm wmz i a o m INVENTOR. PHIL/ fisqxsHKow/rz BY W United States Patent 3,223,421 COLOR CODED GAME CARD Philip Hershkowitz, 700 Berkley Ave., East Meadow, N.Y. Filed Apr. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 272,960 3 Claims. (Cl. 273-439) This invention relates generally to coded cards for games and the like, and more particularly to a card or ticket having a series of positions thereon printed in a single color which when moistened will, in selected instances, change into a series of differently colored areas constituting a color coded combination.

In many games of chance and in various contests, differently numbered cards or tickets are distributed to the players. Whether a player holds a winning card can only be determined by checking the number on the card against a list of winning numbers. One practical difficulty in playing with numbers is that all of the cards must be distributed before the winning numbers can safely be announced. Consequently, there is often a protracted delay before the players know the outcome of the game. This tends to dampen the enthusiasm of the players even where the prizes awarded the winners are highly attractive.

Another drawback to numbered or coded arrangements using other symbols, is that the game is subject to collusion between certain players and the keeper of the winning numbers or codes. In distributing the cards, it it apparent on the face, at least to the keeper, which individual is receiving a winning card, and this fact may lead to favoritism. Moreover, when using numbers, assuming a thousand cards in the game, each card must be printed with a different number.

Accordingly, it is the main object of this invention to provide a coded card which is printed with a blank code combination in a single color, but which is directly converted into a multiple-color coded combination when moistened. A feature of the invention is that all cards in the game have exactly the same appearance, and the difference therebetween is revealed only when moisture is applied to the coded areas.

Also an object of the invention is to provide a color coded card of the above type wherein the code may be directly deciphered by moisture, whereby one receiving a winning card immediately becomes aware of this fact and is therefore able to collect the appropriate prize without the need to check the code or the need to await the distribution of the other cards.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a color coded card having a safety feature which prevents tampering or forgery.

For a better understanding of the invention, as well as other objects and further features thereof, reference is made to the following detailed description to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing showing a color coded card in accordance with the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a card, generally designated by numeral 10, which may be formed of suitable paper or cardboard stock. Printed across the card is a series of spaced discs A, B, C and D. The discs are, in one example, all printed in black or in some other single color. The chemical nature of the printing ink used for the discs A, B, C and D is such that they will, when individually moistened, change color to provide a variety of code combinations. Thus the color code is invisible.

As indicated on the card, when the moistened discs appear sequentially in Red, Green, Yellow and Blue, this 3,223,421 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 color combination qualifies the holder for a first prize, while other color code combinations entitle the holders for second and third prizes. But when all of the discs, when moistened, present the same color, the ticket holder is a loser. Obviously the example given above is only one of the many code possibilities.

In organizing the game, the cards are so printed whereby all but the winning cards contain discs which when moistened will produce the losing combination. The winning cards, however, in the unmoistened condition, look exactly like the losing cards, for they all exhibit the same color when dry. The winning cards are intermingled at random with the losing cards, and once they are in a common stack there is no possible way to determine in advance which card when moistened, carries the winning color code. However, when the cards are distributed, each player chooses a card which he hopes is a winner, but without any surface indication of this fact. The player, after choosing the card, immediately moistens the discs to decipher the color code. Whether he is a winner or a loser can be determined from the code combinations listed on the card.

Among printing inks or dyes suitable for the purpose of this invention are the following:

BlueDisodium salt of 4 [(4- (N-ethyl-p-sulfobenzylamino) phenyl) (2 sulfoniumphenyl)methylene] (1-( N- ethyl-N-p-sulfobenzyl)-2,5-cyclohexadienimine) Red-Trisodium salt of 1-(4-sulfo-l-napthylazo)-2-naphthol-3,6-disulfonic acid (Example 1) Disodium salt of 2-(5-su1fo-2,4-xy1ylazo-1-naphthol4- sulfonic acid (Example 2) YellowTrisodium salt of 3-carboxy-S-hydroxy-l-p-sulfophenyl-4-p-sulfophenylazopyrazole.

To prevent forgery that might be carried out, for example, by overlaying a winning series of colors on a losing card, all of the cards may be printed with, say, a series of Xs as shown. The Xs are printed with a dye presenting a single color which, however, changes when moistened. Different invisible color combinations of Xs are used on losing and winning tickets. But the holder of the card is given no information on the card itself as to the colors underlying the X and he cannot forge the correct combination of these colors when forging the winning colors. Thus when a winning ticket is presented for receipt of a prize, a checker has merely to wet the Xs to see that the ticket is valid. Only the checker knows the X code, whereas the disc code combination is deciphered by the ticket itself. Another approach to the validation of tickets, is by the use of papers or printing areas which respond in a particular way to infra-red or ultra-violet light.

While the color areas have been shown as discs, it is to be understood that other geometric forms may be used for the same purpose. It is intended, therefore, in the annexed claims, to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A color coded game comprising a set of cards, each card having printed thereon a series of geometric blanks, each of said blanks being printed with an ink including a moisture-responsive invisible means which when moistened changes into a predetermined color to form a series of diflerently colored blank combinations, said card having also instructions thereon indicating which series of differently colored combinations constitutes a winning series, whereby the receiver of the card is able to determine from the card itself whether the card has been drawn as a winner or loser, at least one card in said set but not all having a winning series printed thereon, said at least one card having a combination of colors which differs from the combination of colors on the losing cards.

2. A game as set forth in claim 1, further including an invisible check means on each of said cards, said check means being responsive to a checking factor which on said at least one card serves to confirm its winning status.

3. A game as set forth in claim 2, wherein said check means is constituted by a second series of blanks printed with an ink including a moisture-responsive invisible means to produce when moistened a predetermined combination of colors confirming the winning status thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,431,903 10/1922 Becker 283-6 X 1,527,929 2/1925 Simons 273139 2,139,875 12/1938 Bronstein 273-139 2,156,018 4/1939 Humphner 283-6 3,068,010 12/ 1962 Hagopian 273-152.1

FOREIGN PATENTS 411,460 8/ 1945 Italy.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Examiner. 

1. A COLOR CODED GAME COMPRISING A SET OF CARDS, EACH CARD HAVING PRINTED THEREON A SERIES OF GEOMETRIC BLANKS, EACH OF SAID BLANKS BEING PRINTED WITH AN INK INCLUDING A MOISTURE-RESPONSIVE INVISIBLE MEANS WHICH WHEN MOISTENED CHANGES INTO A PREDETERMINED COLOR TO FORM A SERIES OF DIFFERENTLY COLORED BLANK COMBINATIONS, SAID CARD HAVING ALSO INSTRUCTIONS THEREON INDICATING WHICH SERIES OF DIFFERENTLY COLORED COMBINATIONS CONSTITUTES A WINNING SERIES, WHEREBY THE RECEIVER OF THE CARD IS ABLE TO DETERMINE FROM THE CARD ITSELF WHETHER THE CARD HAS BEEN DRAWN AS A WINNER OR LOSER, AT LEAST ONE CARD IN SAID SET BUT NOT ALL HAVING A WINNING SERIES PRINTED THEREON, SAID AT LEAST ONE CARD HAVING A COMBINATION OF COLORS WHICH DIFFERS FROM THE COMBINATION OF COLORS ON THE LOSING CARDS. 